Development, construction, and content validation of a questionnaire to test mobile shower commode usability.

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology Research
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human Factors in Medical Devices

Background:

• Usability is a critical, yet under-measured, outcome in assistive technology.
• No existing tools specifically assess the usability of mobile shower commodes (MSCs) for adults with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an electronic questionnaire for assessing MSC usability in adults with SCI.
• To create a reliable tool for evaluating MSCs from the user's perspective.

Main Methods:

• A 5-phase mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating user preferences, literature review, expert opinion, and content validation.
• The development involved item banking, preliminary questionnaire construction, expert panel review, and finalization.

Main Results:

• The electronic Mobile Shower Commode Assessment Tool Version 1.0 (eMAST 1.0) was created, featuring 25 questions across 3 sections.
• eMAST 1.0 confirmed the multidimensional nature of MSC usability and demonstrated excellent content validity among expert clinicians.

Conclusions:

• The eMAST 1.0 offers a valuable tool for assessing MSC usability from the perspective of adults with SCI.
• This questionnaire can inform MSC design, assessment, prescription, and ongoing use, with further psychometric validation needed.